A teen with at least one stable, supportive adult in their life is 70% less likely to engage in substance use or violence.

This includes:

• Mentors

• Tutors

• Coaches

• Faith leaders

• Grandparents and extended family

• Youth workers

These adults provide:

• Emotional safety

• Accountability

• Encouragement

• A sense of belonging

• Someone who notices when something is “off”

This is exactly why your intergenerational mentoring model is so powerful.

Teens join gangs because they want:

• Belonging

• Identity

• Protection

• Purpose

So we must give them healthy versions of those same things:

• Youth groups

• Mentoring programs

• Sports

• Creative arts

• Faith communities

• Leadership clubs

• After‑school programs

If a teen feels seen, valued, and connected, the streets lose their pull.

Academic frustration is one of the biggest drivers of:

• Dropping out

• Unsupervised time

• Low self-esteem

• Risk-taking behavior

Tutoring and school support:

• Reduce frustration

• Increase confidence

• Keep teens engaged

• Build hope for the future

This is why your mentor‑tutor pipeline is a prevention strategy, not just an academic one.

A teen with a plan is harder to recruit.

Protective pathways include:

• Job training

• Apprenticeships

• Workforce programs

• College exposure

• Leadership roles

• Community service

• Entrepreneurship programs

When a teen sees a future, they protect it.

Many teens are battling anxiety, depression, family instability, and the ripple effects of substance use at home.

Through Fresh Hope for Mental Health, we provide:

• Stigma‑free support groups

• Safe spaces inside local churches

• Hope‑centered conversations

• Emotional tools that prevent self‑harm, substance use, and risky behavior

When a teen feels emotionally safe, they make safer choices.

Even when families struggle, small supports make a big difference:

• Parent coaching

• Caregiver support groups

• Grandparent support

• Family mentoring

• Faith‑based family circles

You’ve already been building this through GrandParents Hands.

Hope grows when youth can see a future.

Through WIOA and employment pathways, we help teens build:

• Job skills

• Career exposure

• Leadership experience

• A sense of purpose

When a teen sees a future, they protect it.

We are a startup nonprofit — but we are not starting alone.

We are building on the strength of established partners while bringing something urgently needed to Ohio’s youth: daily, relationship‑based prevention.